The Lead The Keystone pipeline has been switched on again after being halted by a significant oil spill in North Dakota last month — though the system will be operating at a reduced pressure to start, with the volume of oil increased over time. TC Energy announced the news in a press release on Sunday, saying that the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA) had approved their “repair and restart” program for the cross-border pipeline — which starts in Alberta, and runs through Manitoba before crossing into the United States. The startup protocol will include visual checks of valve sites and pump stations, as well as aerial inspections along the pipeline route. TC has estimated that more than 9,000 barrels worth of oil spilled during the late-October incident. Roads are still closed around the leak site, with no deadline set in stone for them to be reopened. Meanwhile, the company has been issued an order from PHMSA which compels them to conduct a “historical review” of the Keystone pipeline — including an examination of its construction records. The precise cause of the spill is still under investigation. TC has said that a third-party metallurgical lab will be analyzing […]
